Stormer’s prop Steven Kitshoff reacts during the United Rugby Championship final match between the Stormers and Munster at the Cape Town stadium in Cape Town on May 27, 2023. (Photo by Rodger Bosch / AFP) (Photo by RODGER BOSCH/AFP via Getty Images)

Steven Kitshoff will go down as one of the finest loosehead props of his generation, with two World Cup titles to his name.

But few props manage to emerge through the ranks without having a tough day at the office early in their career.

For the recently retired Kitshoff, that day came for him at the age of 19 against another double World Cup winner, the All Blacks‘ Owen Franks.

The match-up came in the 2011 Super Rugby semi-final as the Stormers hosted the Crusaders at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town.

A teenage Kitshoff featured from the bench on that occasion as the Crusaders went on to win the contest 10-29, and he recently described how it was the “biggest punishment” of his career on RugbyPass TV’s upcoming episode of Boks Office. 

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“The biggest learning curve I’ve received or the biggest punishment I received was scrumming against Owen Franks,” the 83-cap Springbok said.

“Played a semi-final or quarter-final against the Crusaders back in 2011 and the only thing that stopped me from going backwards was the upright post.

“He caught me and it was tough. I was 19 years old.

Throughout the years, playing against the All Blacks and understanding what he does, it became easier.”

That experience was just a minor hiccup on his way to becoming the “best loosehead prop in the world” according to fellow Boks Office guest Nick Mallett, before being forced to retire earlier this year after neck fusion surgery.

Former South Africa coach Mallett was effusive in his praise for Kitshoff on the show, praising him for what he did off the pitch as much as what he did on it.

“I’ve always admired Steven, not only for his performances – the best loosehead prop in the world over eight years, probably, from the time he really developed,” he said.

“It was his consistency for every team that he played for, the Stormers in particular, he was overseas for a short time, came back and captained the Stormers to win.

“The big things were the World Cup wins and remaining humble all the time. I think that is what I admire so much about Steven.

When you’ve done as well as he’s done, he’s passed on humility to every squad he’s been involved in.

So you get a young guy coming in and his name’s in the paper, he just has to look at the way Steven behaved and he would realise how you can make your way through the rugby world.

“His captaincy was outstanding, but his selflessness was so important to the teams that he was involved in.

And the quality, there wasn’t a weakness– great ball carrier, great defender, hardly gave a penalty away, won hundreds of penalties for us.”